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40 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 03.14
During my 20 years as a professional in
the feld of recruiting and conducting career
consulting, I have witnessed many examples
of what not to do in the career arena, particu
-
larly with résumés. I have analyzed thousands
of résumés and have found that, although most
professionals know the importance of a ré
-
sumé, it is the most glaring example of a career
tool becoming an obstacle for professionals
seeking a job. In this month's column, I have
highlighted common pitfalls so you can avoid
them as you advance your career in the golf
and turf industry.
Résumé is too long. This one can be diff
-
cult, particularly if you have been in the golf
and turf industry several decades. We are often
asked by GCSAA members, "How do I con
-
dense all my experience into a one-page docu-
ment? What is an acceptable length?" The an-
swer is based on many factors, including years
in the industry, number of past employers, pro
-
fessional involvement and the level of job you
are seeking. Typically, one page is enough for
student and assistant superintendent résumés,
but once you have been in the industry 10-15
years, it is acceptable, and probably necessary,
to have a two-page résumé. More information
is not necessarily helpful. Is it realistic to ex
-
pect a hiring committee that receives 100-plus
résumés to take the time to read several pages
of yours? The key points and qualities you have
to offer will be lost in too much text.
Listing only employmen istory. Résumés
are marketing tools, not just a list of past em
-
ployers, job titles and duties. Be aware that all
the other candidates will have the same, if not
more, experience performing similar tasks and
holding similar job titles. Instead, use the ex
-
perience section of your résumé to set yourself
apart, convey your achievements and the qual
-
ities that make you uniquely capable. Also in-
clude a section at the top of the résumé that
highlights what you have to offer, particu
-
larly with points directly related to your target
employer.
Typos and/or grammatical errors. In a busi
-
ness where attention to detail is paramount,
your career documents are an important way
to demonstrate this skill. If you list "detail-ori
-
ented" on your résumé, but have an error that
could have been easily corrected with proof
-
reading — what do you think the reader will
believe? I recently spoke with a superintendent
at a top-50 course who had just received a ré
-
sumé from a candidate who spelled the name
of his golf course wrong in the cover letter.
That candidate may have been a top contender
for the job, but understandably was never con
-
sidered. And don't trust a spell-checker since it
doesn't fag incorrect word meanings.
Emailed résumé as MS Word fle. When
emailing any career documents, always con
-
vert to a PDF and only send the PDF fle. This
guarantees the recipient will view your docu
-
ment exactly as you formatted it. MS Word
fles can look different on various computers,
the printing can be off dramatically, and the
document can be altered by the recipient.
Unprofessional email address. Be certain that
your contact listings are professional. I rec
-
ommend getting a free email account with a
professional listing to use for career purposes
if your personal email address is questionable.
And don't forget to have a professional voice
mail message.
Avoid these pitfalls and you will be well
on your way to using a résumé as a marketing
tool, not an obstacle, to set yourself apart in job
searches and ultimately advance your career.
Carol D. Rau, PHR is a career consultant with GCSAA and
is the owner of Career Advantage, a career consulting frm
in Lawrence, Kan., specializing in golf and turf industry
careers. GCSAA members receive complimentary résumé
critiques by Rau and her team, résumé and cover letter
creation for a reduced member rate, along with interview
preparation and portfolio consultation.
Avoiding résumé pitfalls
I have analyzed
thousands of
résumés and have
found that, although
most professionals
know the importance
of a résumé, it is
the most glaring
example of a career
tool becoming
an obstacle for
professionals
seeking a job.
(Career)
Carol D. Rau, PHR
careeradvantage@sunfower.com
040-043_March14_Career.indd 40 2/18/14 1:45 PM